


How Icarus Lost his Wings

by eviestevie



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/M, Let these chaos children bond dammit, Mercury’s semblance is hidden somewhere ok? Don’t @ me we’re gonna see it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:42:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26735320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eviestevie/pseuds/eviestevie
Summary: Emerald is curious about Mercury, what makes him tick? Why was he doing any of this?. Luckily for her, he’s much more of an open book than she thought.
Relationships: Mercury Black/Emerald Sustrai
Comments: 6
Kudos: 28





	How Icarus Lost his Wings

**Author's Note:**

> I like the theory that Mercury’s semblance is flight based and I really wanted to make something about his backstory. Enjoy 😊

Emerald stepped out into a large clearing, the open land revealed a lush forest over the cliffs, mixed with vibrant greens and oranges as the seasons began to change. It was a very welcome change of scenery compared to the halls of Salem’s castle. No tension, no sense of death or dread, just simple tranquility.

She didn’t want to go back, not after what happened at Haven. Not after what she saw was happening to Cinder after Atlas, the Grimm arm she carries slowly eating away at her, taking her sanity with it.

She didn’t have much choice now. Even if she wanted to leave, it would be near impossible to do it on her own. And who would help her do that?

That made her wonder about him; Mercury. He stood on his own by the cliff, looking over the forest. Was he brooding?... he was definitely brooding. Although she’s not surprised, this walk was meant to be a nice break for the both of them, but Mercury went off ahead, on his own. Again.

Curiosity tapped her shoulder, so Emerald stepped towards Mercury, choosing to stand beside him and watch the view with him... now what? What should she say? She doesn’t exactly have anything interesting to talk about, and even if she did, he would already know, ever since they met they did everything together.

“Hey,” Emerald spoke quietly, as if worried she would startle him out of whatever was going on in his mind. No response.

“Mercury?”

“...”

“...hello?”

“...”

“You could respond you know, or has the fresh air whisked away what’s left of your brain?” She joked to try and get something out of him. He didn’t even open his mouth, although he did turn his head and look at her. At least he wasn’t completely out of it. They both looked away from each other.

Once again, Emerald had nothing else to say. Why was it so hard to talk to him? It’s just Mercury, what’s the problem?

Although, as she racked her brain, she realised there was something she wanted to say. Something she needed to say.

“I’m sorry.”

“...What?” Finally, he responded.

“I’m sorry... for starting that fight with you. After Haven... and what happened to Cinder, I wasn’t thinking clearly. I lashed out at you. I’m sorry about that.”

That had to have been the most sincere the thief had ever been in her whole life. It was kind of scary. Mercury on the other hand, seemed lost for words.

“Oh uh... right, yeah. Don’t worry about it. It’s ok.”

“Really?” Emerald questioned. This was not the reaction she was expecting.

“Yeah I mean... I get it, you know? Cinder isn’t exactly the best role model, but I get why you’re so... I don’t know, reliant? Close?... protective of her, I guess.”

Ok this was just too good to be true, Emerald couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“And besides, it looks like you’ve figured out she’s not as perfect as you thought after that chaos at Atlas... I didn’t even have to say “I told you so”! How about that?”

Alright that seemed a much more “Mercury-like” response.

“Ah, right!” Emerald chuckled lightly, glad she was making some conversation with Mercury. What he said made her think though, after Atlas, Emerald’s view of Cinder completely changed, leaving her questioning many things. Cinder really was a bad person.

So what did that make her?

“...Hey Mercury?”

“Yeah?”

“Are we bad people?”

That question made him stop and think. Emerald could see how a crease formed above his brow, hinting he was taking this question seriously.

“I guess... we work for someone like Salem, so I wouldn’t say we’re the nicest.” Mercury answered.

Emerald expected an answer like that. But it didn’t stop the realisation from punching her in the gut. He was right, they weren’t the best people and what they were doing certainly wasn’t helping them get any better. Why did she do this? For Cinder? For herself? She wasn’t completely sure.

She wondered what his motivations were.

“Why did you come with us on that night?”

“...Simple I guess, you were looking for my Father, he was dead so I was the next best thing. Besides, it’s not like I had anywhere or anyone else to go to.” Mercury spoke slowly.

“What about your moth—“

“She’s dead.”

Silence... curiosity tapped again.

“...What happened to you, Mercury?”

Regret. Emerald immediately regretted that question as soon as it left her mouth. What right did she have to probe him like this? She wasn’t exactly open herself, and she knew if someone was pecking her head like this she would lash out after the first question that got too personal and—

“You really wanna hear that story?”

Shock. Mercury was willing to tell her?

Tap, tap, tap went her curiosity.

“...If that’s ok?” Emerald asked nervously. For all she knew, Mercury was going to say no and get mad at her for being so damn nosey.

“...Well, it began when I was born. My mother was already trapped by my father. He controlled every aspect of her life and constantly told her that I was going to be raised to be like him; an assassin. And he wasn’t going to accept any excuses that would stop him.”

Emerald listened carefully, prepared to take in every detail Mercury was willing to reveal.

“As I grew up, my mother got worse. She was weak and losing her mind under his thumb. Eventually she couldn’t take it. I was around six I think, and she tried to escape with me. Willing to run to the other side of Remnant just to get me away from him... she didn’t get far. He...”

Mercury went silent. His hands clenched tightly into fists, trembling with grief and rage. Emerald felt guilty and reached out her own hand to hold his. He jumped at the feather light touch as if it were a burning hot flame, but he soon relaxed against it. He took a deep breath and continued.

“After that, it was just me and my Father in that house. With my mother out of the way, that meant my training could officially begin. He worked me every day, teaching me how to fight, overpowering me easily, beating me, all of it he said he was doing to make me stronger.”

Emerald could only listen in horror. She felt her own rage slowly boiling in her gut, pushing to seep out of her. But she kept her cool, she had to be strong. For Mercury.

“I wanted nothing more than to run— no, to fly away from it all. Just to float away without a care in the world and forget it all.” He chuckled cruelly. “And the worst part is... I almost had that.”

Emerald’s brow shot up in surprise. “You mean...”

“My semblance,” he breathed quietly. As if saying it too loud would mean he’d face his Father’s wrath again, even from the grave. “I could fly, as high as I wanted, all over the house. It was the most free I had ever felt... but it was short lived. As soon as he saw me, he grabbed me by my legs and dragged me back down again. Slamming me back into the real world. Anytime I tried to do it again, he would do the same thing, and he would beat me even after I was down.”

Emerald felt as if she was choking on her heart. “Mercury, I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah, well it didn’t stop there. He got sick of my constant defiance. So he made a more permanent solution to keep me grounded. To stop me from using my ability.”

“He took your semblance?”

“That’s what he told me. It worked, I couldn’t fly anymore, so that meant less time running and more time “training”. I remember he’d make me kick until my legs bruised and broke. I kicked bags, planks of wood, even trees! Eventually, my legs got so badly damaged over the years that I could hardly walk anymore... and you know what? That made me hopeful. I would’ve rather been a damn cripple then continue that fucking “training” of his. But of course, you know what happened next.”

“Your legs...” Emerald muttered.

“He drugged my dinner.” Emerald was astounded that he was still going. “I fell unconscious and he took a large saw he kept in the shed and a bunch of other tools. As he did it, he was heating up a hot piece of metal so that when he removed my legs he cauterised the wound so I wouldn’t bleed out. When I woke up, I was in so much pain, more pain then I ever felt in my life.” Mercury spat out his words, disgusted by the memories leaving a foul taste in his mouth.

“Father said it would make me stronger,” Mercury’s voice cracked as he teared up. “He said as a future assassin and his son, I shouldn’t rely on a semblance to get the job done. I was so angry I lunged at him, completely forgetting my pain. I was lucky the surgery exhausted him otherwise I wouldn’t have had as much of a chance. The fire was still going and it got knocked over, sending the whole house into flames... I killed him. And then you found me. The rest is history I guess.”

There was no more breath in Emerald’s lungs as Mercury finished. She didn’t even hesitate. 

She pulled Mercury into a hug and held him tightly. Once again, he tensed up as if he was being burnt. She expected him to push her away, get angry and storm off, but he didn’t. Instead, he wrapped his arms and held Emerald just as tight, sighing a choking breath into her shoulder. He really needed this, she could tell in the way he crumbled against her embrace. She was worried he might even fall to his knees, but he didn’t, choosing to release her and stand up straight, wiping the tears from his eyes and staring up at the sky for a few seconds to prevent any more from spilling out.

“Sorry l—“

“Don’t.” Emerald spoke with a strong tone, but then she softened. “It’s okay Mercury, you have every right to be upset and angry about what happened to you. Honestly, I knew you had been through a lot but... I never expected it to be that horrific.”

She placed a hand on his shoulder, a gentle smile on her face.

“Thank you, for telling me. If there’s ever a time you need to talk, I’ll be here. You don’t have to suffer alone anymore, okay?”

Mercury’s expression showed shock, but it shifted into a small smile.

“Yeah... okay.”

They both turned to walk back into the forest, Emerald taking the lead. She was proud of both of them. It felt like they weren’t as on edge with each other as they were before, there was trust building between them.

“Hey Em?”

She turned around.

“Yeah?”

“... I don’t think you’re a bad person.”

Mercury’s words caught her off guard, but then sooner warmed her heart. She smiled.

“I don’t think you’re a bad person either.”


End file.
